At her wedding reception, Jess marvels over how perfect everything turned out. When she has a quiet moment away from her guests, she asks to view some wedding photos. But what she sees sends her spiraling.
After three years of being together, and a year to plan our dream wedding, Adam and I got married.
Everything was perfect. We had our favorite food, music, and people. I thought nothing could ruin this wonderful day until I asked our photographer to show me some of our wedding photos on her camera.
Adam and I married at sunset, my favorite time of the day. The entire ceremony was perfectly planned for our vows to be recited while the sun streamed from all angles.
Of course, then it was time to party. Adam wanted our reception to be one big bash and for our guests to have a blast.
Bride and Groom silhouettes during sunset | Source: Pixabay
We also wanted every moment to be documented, so we hired Jack and Annie to capture our wedding bliss through the lenses.
We also had a photo booth, but we wanted candid photos.
“We’re only getting married once,” Adam said when I questioned whether we were being too lavish with our money.
“Let’s make memories, Jess,” he said, kissing my hand.
Person sitting in a photo booth | Source: Pexels
During our reception, I noticed Annie sitting alone while Adam was toasting away with his groomsmen.
“I’m taking a break,” she chuckled, sipping a cocktail. “Jack has it covered.”
“Well, while I have you,” I said, sitting beside her. “Can you show me some of the photos? I want to see what my dress looks like from the back.”
“Sure,” Annie said. She hesitated, sipping her cocktail slowly while turning a little red.
I turned around to look at the crowd while Annie drank.
“But you look beautiful,” she said, picking up her camera.
“My mom made a joke about the dress making my butt look a little big,” I chuckled, feeling the warmth from the champagne radiate through me.
Annie held the camera and, resting it lightly on her leg, began swiping through the images.
Woman sipping on a cocktail | Source: Pexels
I couldn’t help but smile at the photographs — I loved seeing the guests enjoy themselves.
But staring at the vibrant photographs, my eye caught something peculiar in the background of one the pictures of me and my parents.
The photo captured a brief yet unexpected moment — I saw Adam holding Annie’s hand as they shared a stolen kiss.
I could not believe my eyes. I zoomed in just to make sure I was not making it up, but it was all there.
The photographer choked on the drink she was sipping, her face turning purple.
I couldn’t breathe. Adam and I had only been married for about three hours, and already, he was betraying me.
“Don’t you dare move,” I hissed at Annie. “Don’t you dare say a word!”
Annie nodded quickly, her eyes wide at my sudden change of demeanor.
But what did she really expect? I was at my own wedding, and I had just found out that my husband had cheated. After she betrayed me like that and ruined my wedding day, I made sure her photography career would take a hit.
I picked up Annie’s camera and took it to the DJ, who screened a series of photographs of Adam and me through the years while he blasted out the latest hits.
Person holding a camera | Source: Pexels
“Are you sure?” he asked when I told him what I needed him to do.
“Absolutely,” I said.
When it was time for speeches, my father talked about love and how glad he was that I had chosen Adam as my partner. But I could barely listen to a word. Instead, I sat there, recalling the subtle tension between Annie and Adam when we first met with her and Jack, her business partner.
I had trusted Adam so implicitly that the thought of infidelity was a foreign invader in our relationship.
After my father toasted Adam and me, wishing us a happily married life, it was my turn to give Adam my wedding gift.
Ever since I met my new husband, he has spoken about an unexplained love for Iceland.
“There’s just something about the elephant rock and the lava caves, Jess. It feels magical. Maybe I lived there in another life,” he had said on our second date.
When we were planning the wedding, Adam decided that the whole thing would be on him and our families, and I would surprise him with our honeymoon.
Knowing how much effort was put into the ceremony, I wanted to surprise him with a trip to Iceland. I wanted him to experience the love he had for Iceland with me.
Green Iceland landscape | Source: Pexels
I took the mic and spoke of Adam’s dream visit to Iceland. I watched him hang onto my every word, his eyes shining.
I nodded to Duncan, our DJ.
The screen flashed with the photograph of Annie and Adam.
I watched Adam try to mask his shock, and Annie tried to hide her face. Once filled with shouts of celebration and tipsy guests, the room echoed with gasps and hushed whispers.
Adam pulled me outside, away from the guests who wanted to know more.
“I’ve known Annie since we were teenagers, Jess,” he said frantically. “All the wedding planning just rekindled the past love we had. But it was fleeting. It was just a mistake, Jess.”
He pleaded for forgiveness, tears streaming down his face. But I didn’t want to give him that — I didn’t want to forgive him.
Maybe under different circumstances, I would have felt differently. But just after we got married? No way.
Close-up of man crying | Source: Pexels
The next day, I annulled our marriage, leaving behind the shards of shattered vows.
Adam can sort things out with Annie.
I still had my bags packed, ready for my honeymoon. So, I had my sister pack her bags and join me.
Now, I’m sitting in our hotel room, drinking hot chocolate and reflecting on what would have happened if I didn’t see that photo — my wedded life would have begun in ignorance.
Person holding a mug of hot chocolate | Source: Pexels
Has anything as heartbreaking happened to you?
Here’s another story for you: Jess is happy to know that her mother, Mona, wants to spend more time with her children during their summer holidays. She even tries to look past the fact that Mona just wants her to divorce Matt, her husband. But when Jess goes to a café during her lunch, she gets a lot more than the menu offers.
Read the full story here.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
I Planned the Perfect Surprise Party, But My Husband’s Reaction Left the Room in Complete Silence
When Maria planned a surprise party for her husband’s 40th birthday, she thought it would be a night to remember for all the right reasons. She invited close friends and family, decorated the house, and made sure everything was perfect for his big day. But when the doorbell rang, something unexpected happened.
My husband’s 40th birthday was coming up, and I wanted to throw him a surprise party. I told him I would be out of town on his birthday, and we agreed to celebrate on another day.
The night before his birthday, I pretended to pack my bags and leave for the airport. But instead of traveling, I stayed overnight at my friend Karen’s house.
As I packed, Karen asked, “Are you sure this will work?”
“Absolutely,” I said. “Tom thinks I’m visiting my sister.”
The next day, I got up early to prepare everything. Tom usually came home around 6 p.m., so I invited friends and family to arrive at 5. By 4:45, guests began showing up, starting with his brother, Jim.
“Need any help?” Jim asked, carrying a box of decorations.
I handed him streamers and said, “Sure, hang these up.”
Soon, Tom’s best friend, Dave, arrived with his wife, Lisa. “Wow, Maria, you’ve outdone yourself,” Lisa said, admiring the decorations.
“Thanks! Can you help with the balloons?” I asked. Everyone worked together, and by 5:30, the house looked amazing, with streamers, balloons, and a big banner that said, “Happy 40th, Tom!”
At 5:45, I gathered everyone in the kitchen. “Tom will be here soon. Let’s hide,” I said, feeling excited. We turned off the lights and found hiding spots, waiting in the dark. My heart raced when I heard the key in the lock.
The door opened, but instead of Tom, I heard a woman’s voice. “Do you think he’ll like it?”
My heart sank. Who was this woman? For a second, I thought Tom was cheating on me. The lights came on, and we all gasped.
Standing in the doorway was a young couple, just as shocked as we were. The woman held a suitcase, and the man had a set of keys.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“Who are we? Who are you?” the woman responded, equally confused.
Jim stepped forward. “We’re here for a surprise party. Who are you?”
The man replied, “We rented this house on Airbnb.”
My face went pale. “Airbnb? This is our house!”
Dave scratched his head. “Tom must have listed it after Maria said she was leaving.”
The woman looked at me sympathetically. “Oh no, we didn’t know. We’re so sorry. We’ll leave right away.”
“No, it’s okay,” I said, trying to stay calm. “Let’s figure this out.”
The couple, still confused, stepped inside, and everyone started whispering, trying to understand what happened.
Karen came over and whispered, “Maria, what’s going on?”
“I have no idea,” I whispered back. “Tom must have put the house on Airbnb when I told him I’d be away.”
Tom’s sister, Susan, spoke up. “Let’s all sit down and talk this out.”
We moved to the living room, the party decorations now feeling out of place. The couple introduced themselves as Jake and Emily.
“We’re really sorry,” Jake said. “We thought the house was empty.”
Emily nodded. “We didn’t mean to crash your party.”
I smiled. “It’s not your fault. This is just a big mix-up.”
I called Tom, and he answered cheerfully. “Hey, honey! I thought you’d be on your flight.”
“Tom,” I said, trying to stay calm, “did you list our house on Airbnb?”
There was a pause. “Uh, yeah. I thought we could make some extra money since you were out of town.”
I took a deep breath. “Tom, I’m not out of town. I was planning a surprise party for you. Now, we’ve got guests and an Airbnb couple here.”
There was silence before Tom finally said, “Oh no, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
I looked at Jake and Emily, who sat awkwardly on the couch. “What do we do now?”
“I’m coming home. We’ll figure it out,” Tom said.
I turned to everyone. “Tom’s on his way. We’ll sort this out soon.”
Jake stood up. “We can find another place to stay.”
Lisa shook her head. “No, stay. There’s plenty of food and drinks. Join us.”
Emily smiled. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. The more, the merrier,” I said.
Tom arrived fifteen minutes later, looking sheepish. “I’m really sorry,” he said. “I just wanted to save money for a vacation.”
Susan laughed. “Well, you certainly surprised us.”
Jake and Emily decided to stay, and soon everyone was laughing and having a great time.
As the night went on, I smiled. Despite the chaos, it turned out to be a night none of us would forget. And as for the vacation, Tom and I would definitely be taking one, with a funny story to tell for years to come.
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